Archive for September, 2009

WARNING: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS EPIC SPOILERS. PROCEED WITH CAUTION. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

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I am finding it very, very difficult to type a coherent review of this episode, but as usual, I’m going to do my best.

While listening to shows such as The Leviathan Chronicles, Once Upon a Time in Vegas, The Section 31 Files, and The Byron Chronicles, I sometimes find it necessary to pause the podcast, stand up, and run around in circles. This is a natural self-defense mechanism developed by my brain, and used only as a last resort to keep itself from exploding. As I was listening to The Byron Chronicles 2×06 : Dracula, Part 1, the aforementioned defense mechanism kicked in many, many times.

The episode is set in the summer of 1916, towards the end of the First World War. After saving the world from the forces of evil yet again, Byron (who isn’t calling himself ‘Byron’ quite yet) goes to the town of Bar Harbor, Maine to rest and heal. However, since the universe obviously hates him, it isn’t long before his vacation is interrupted…

In typical Byron Chronicles fashion, this episode answered some questions but just ended up making the listener ask even more. For instance: The truth about what Byron and his siblings actually are is partially revealed. (I figured it out back in May after a finding out while doing a crossword puzzle that ‘Aestival’ means ‘ ‘involving summer’.) Still, even though it now seems pretty clear that the four siblings represent the four seasons, it turns out that this wasn’t always the case; they were chosen for these roles. But… chosen by whom? And what were they before?

Another interesting thing this episode turned up: Elves. Yes, that’s right. Elves. Byron’s history involves elves, and a strange name that I wish I could spell so I could include it here. (Note: If anyone knows how to spell the name the elves called Byron, I’d really appreciate it…) I remember this name turning up as far back as Season 1, Episode 1: The Taint. It was in the Watch’s records, as quoted by Agent Katherine. Personally, I’m glad to finally find out what that was about. Elves. Wow. Just when I thought I’d seen it all, I get another shock to the brain. I should be used to it by now… but no.

Slate, Byron’s older brother, turns up again.While Byron shows a colder, more impersonal attitude in this episode, Slate seems a little more talkative, both about their pasts and their futures. Byron’s refusal to follow the rules of the universe seems to be what continuously gets him into trouble, and gets the people around him killed. He also refuses to believe that the future is set in stone, hence his attempts to change things. Slate also mentions the mysterious coming conflict (presumably involving Leviathan?) that we’ve been hearing about for so long. Apparently, not even God knows what the outcome will be. It could end with the destruction of all creation…including Byron and his siblings. From Slate’s point of view, this wouldn’t be such a bad thing, because it would mean the end of their ‘punishment’.

Hold on a second.

Their punishment?

We found out in ‘Nicholas’ that Byron was being punished for something that he’d done in his past… but it isn’t just him. It’s Slate, too, and possibly his other siblings as well. I’d really like to find out more about that one.

Another interesting revelation: Byron is continuously changing his name. Slate is always Slate, and he’s annoyed by Byron’s refusal to use his real name. I’d kind of like to know what his actual name is, but I know I’ll always refer to him as ‘Byron’, because it’s fitting.*

Speaking of changes… (another brilliant segue. I’m good at these!) One of my favorite things about having marathons of The Byron Chronicles is noticing how the title character changes over the course of the series. In ‘The Taint’, he’s cold and completely self-serving, but by ‘A Code of Conduct’ and especially ‘A Time of Returning’, he’s started to show genuine concern for others. Well, for Chris, at any rate. In this episode, which takes place long before the rest of the series, Byron is still acting like a complete jerk, for lack of a better word. While Slate seems ‘nicer’ (if Slate can be called ‘nice’), Byron is anything but.

And NOW: I’ve saved the best for last, because it completely blew my mind. I like to talk. I talk a lot. In fact, it can be argued that I very rarely shut up. I want you to know this so that you can truly appreciate it when I say that the end of this episode rendered me speechless.

What’s the standard, accepted image of Dracula? Well, Bela Lugosi’s version, complete with protruding fangs, slicked-back hair, cape, etc., including the whole “I vant to suck your blood” accent. Most of all, the traditionally accepted image of Dracula involves the Count being…well, a Count. Not a Countess. That was why the end of this episode came as such a shock to me. I saw it in the cast list : Melissa D. Johnson as Mina Harker. I heard it in the episode. Mina Harker. Then…then she had to go and say, “but my followers call me Dracula”. I sat in my seat for about five minutes with my mouth opening and closing while I made shocked noises and waved my hands around. Mina Harker. Dracula. Apart from continuing to reference one of my favorite books, DP has put a new spin on the classic vampire. Brilliant.

I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again: I love this show. I am continuously surprised, amused, frightened, and entertained by The Byron Chronicles. This was true two years ago, and this most recent episode proves that the same holds true today. Each episode of Season 2 has been better than the one before… and that’s why I’m more excited than usual for the next month’s installment.

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Download The Byron Chronicles 2×06: Dracula, Part 1HERE . Or, get it from iTunes. You know the drill.

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* I’m not sure how the character Byron got his name, but when THIS was discussed in English class last year, I had to wonder…

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Next: Reviews of Lost Frontier and Gaia are still coming, I promise! Look for them sometime this week!

CAUTION: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS MINOR SPOILERS. It’s nothing major, nothing you wouldn’t have figured out anyway after a few episodes, but still. Consider yourself warned.

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I want to start out by saying that I hate fairytales…especially the Disneyfied ones. The beautiful princess is rescued from her unfortunate circumstances by a handsome prince, who sweeps her off her feet and carries her away to a happily ever after. Roll credits. Gag me with a fork. My problem with fairy tales is that they’re formulaic. We know how they’re going to end every time. Also, they’re cheesy and largely misogynistic.

That’s why I like Once Upon a Time in Vegas so much. Its different. Its my kind of fairytale…

If I had to describe Vegas in a nice, concise statement, I’d probably say that it takes a few of the classic fairy tales, sticks ’em in the middle of modern Las Vegas, and adds werewolves. And sex. Lots of sex.

There are no fewer than three beautiful princesses, a wicked witch, a fairy godmother (or godfather), seven dwarves, a handsome prince, and a big, bad wolf. Well, several big, bad wolves. In short, Vegas has all the standard elements of a classic fairytale, but the way the story plays out is anything but ordinary. The handsome prince is a famous actor, the evil witch is the boss from hell, the seven dwarves are college students, and the big bad wolf is… ok, the big bad wolf is literally a big bad wolf.

Vegas tells the story of Chloe Ashton, Teri Snowdon, and Tessa Woodsman. (Yes, note the names. Names are significant here. I’ll get back to it later.) They all work for a Vegas ad agency called Premier Advertising, and their boss is an evil witch named Ginger. Chloe, one of Ginger’s secretaries, is engaged to be married to a first-class bastard named Jason, who has an accent but no common courtesy. She dreams of finding someone ‘real’ and having a permanent relationship, but is very shy and has low self-esteem. Teri is definently the oddest of the three; her position in the company is more or less equal to Ginger’s, so she’s less afraid of her and therefore takes more chances… for example, having a crush on and ultimately dating Danny, one of Ginger’s boy-toys. Then there’s Tessa, who has a cynical view of the world and a worse than cynical additude towards men and relationships.

I mentioned werewolves.

Even though the word has never actually been said in the show (so far), the truth becomes extremely evident in the first few episodes or so. I’d like to go on a great big rant here, but instead, I’ll say that in my opinion every fairytale would be improved by the addition of werewolves, and pretty much anything in general would be improved by the addition of David Ault. That is all. In short, yes, there are werewolves in Vegas, and at first, it might be difficult for the listener to determine which one of them is actually bad news.

That brings me to my next point. Nothing in Vegas is what it seems. A character might appear one way, but have a motive or personality that is completely different to the one they display at first glance. Or, they might actually be just as evil/nice as they appear. Also, everyone is connected. All the character are either working together, sleeping together, hating eachother, or all three. It’s all twisty, like Charles Dickens’ novels.

Speaking of which, (this is a brilliant segue, just watch), Vegas has one more thing in common with the works of Dickens: The names of the characters reflect, to some extent, their personalities…or at least the fairytales they’re influenced by. For example, theres Chloe Ashton (the Cinderella character), Teri Snowdon (the Snow White character), and last but not least, Tessa Woodsman. (the Red Riding Hood character.) Also, I’m pretty sure that Phillip, the Handsome Prince character in Vegas, shares a name with the prince from Sleeping Beauty. But I’ve never seen that movie, so I wouldn’t know.

Ok, I think I’ve covered just about everything now. Oh, one last thing: the music. I love Vegas’ main theme… and it’s very catchy. My question of the day is: Can I download it, and where?

So, that’s the long delayed (sorry!) review of Pendant Audio’s Once Upon a Time in Vegas. It has an amazing cast, a compelling, addicting storyline. Forget the saying “What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas”, because this is definently a podcast to tell your friends about… just, not your younger, impressionable friends, because it is R-rated.

My final words of advice: Listen after the credits on Episode 5. I can’t tell you why, because it would spoil the surprise. Just do it.

Click here to enjoy Once Upon a Time in Vegas, or, as usual, get it from iTunes!

I interrupt your scheduled review blog to bring you the following bulletin: Today, September 25th 2009, is my two-year anniversary as a rabid Darker Projects fangirl.

Even though I knew the day was sometime towards the end of September, I wasn’t entirely sure about the exact date. Well, I checked my old journal and realized that I’d only barely escaped missing the date.

According to my half-legible scribbles, I downloaded the first three episodes of Doctor Who (that’d be the Grave White North storyline) after school on the 25th. The next four words in the journal entry are very clear, because I wrote them in all caps and made them big and bold. They say, “I LOVE DARKER PROJECTS“. Then there’s three little hearts afterwards.

Well, it’s been two years, and that statement, little hearts included, is still true.

With the realization that today is my ‘DP Day’ comes the revelation that either tomorrow or the day after will mark the day I sat down in my wobbly bedroom chair one evening after school and listened to The Byron Chronicles for the first time. It also means that in a week or two, I’ll arrive at the anniversaries of listening to Autumn, Night Terrors, Dark Matter, and Five Minute Fears, followed by Alive Inside and The Falcon Banner towards the end of October/mid November. Finally, two months ago I started listening to The Section 31 Files and Lost Frontier, just as Doctor Who started up again…the whole thing has come full circle.

Many of the events in my life, both the significant and mundane, are now associated with Darker Projects. For instance, on opening night of Romeo and Juliet, the first play I was ever in, I spent my off-stage time curled up on a couch listening to Byron Episode 6. My Sundays consisted of camping out with munchies and a deck of cards and listening to whatever DP show happened to be on my playlist at the time. Here’s a short selection from the rest of the list…

Car trip? Darker Projects.
Bus Ride? Darker Projects.
Study Hall? Darker Projects.
Can’t sleep? Darker Projects.
Boring class? Darker Projects.
After taking the SAT, I came down with the flu. My DVD player was broken, I’d read every book I owned at least three times, and my iPod wouldn’t turn on. What was I to do? Well, thankfully I’d made CDs of all the Byron Chronicles episodes, and the next five days were spent in happy delirium. (The delirium was because of the fever, the happy was because of TBC. Just thought I should clear that up.)

Darker Projects even influenced my college-searching process. By college-searching, I mean that I went to google, typed in the words ‘college’, ‘Portland’, and ‘Oregon’, clicked the first thing that came up (University of Portland) and said “I’m going there.” Well, unfortunately, that didn’t work out, mostly due to the fact that I looked at the price tag and ran away screaming…

Last fall, I started telling pretty much everyone I knew about how great Darker Projects was. I emailed links to people, waved CDs in their face, held out headphones to them and growled “listen to this!” until they accepted and I could pour the brilliantness straight through their ears and into their brains.

Strangely enough, most of these people are still friends with me.

I suppose what I’m trying to get at is this: Without Darker Projects, the last two years would have been very uneventful. It is unlikely that I would have started watching Doctor Who, which I’d never heard of before…I certainly wouldn’t have started watching Star Trek, (The Section 31 Files converted me…) I wouldn’t have discovered such amazing, wonderful things as The Leviathan Chronicles and the host of other podcasts I’m currently listening to, and above all else, I wouldn’t have started hyperventilating when I walked into English class and saw the words “Lord Byron” on the whiteboard. (Yes, I knew even then that there was another Lord Byron, but still. I couldn’t help it.) There’s so much I wouldn’t have experienced and so many people I never would have gotten to know if I hadn’t gone to the podcast section of the iTunes store one day on a whim and typed in the word ‘supernatural’.

So, thank you to everyone at Darker Projects. Thank you very, very much. DP is my most favorite thing in the world. I am your biggest fan…

Before I begin the review of Gaia’s Voyages from Brokensea Audio Productions, let me make two brief statements:

1. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Holy Flying Monkeys, Batman. I can’t BELIEVE some of the people who are reading this blog! It’s crazy. I feel like a McDonalds worker who suddenly realizes that the person who just ordered a Big Mac is actually the guy who owns the whole company. Some of the people who write these shows, produce them, and act in them actually read this blog. I’m honored, but also terrified.

2. A note to anyone who intends to take college level Psychology: Don’t. I mean, unless you intend on actually going into that field, in which case, go right ahead. Maybe you’ll end up treating me in the future, because this class is going to make me go crazy.

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OK! On to the review!

I’m trying to remember where I heard the trailer for Gaia’s Voyages. I think it was on The Byron Chronicles and The Leviathan Chronicles. Going by the trailer, this show seems a little cheesy. I was a little iffy on the premise itself, which seemed a little, well, one-dimensional. I was wondering, “How far can they carry a show that’s about extraterrestrial wildlife conservation?”

Note to self: Don’t go by the trailer. Never ever.

When I started listening to Gaia’s Voyages, my initial reaction was “Wow, this is funny!” Even though that humor continues well past the first episode, that isn’t all there is to the story. Nor is ‘Gaia’ only about protecting wildlife and ecosystems on distant planets; there’s a sub-plot worthy of The X-Files or Section 31, there’s assassins and conspiracies, dark pasts and darker futures, and friendship and even romance that is found in the most unlikely of places. Also, I’m a big fan of character-driven storylines, and Gaia is no exception.

There are only four episodes out so far. Well, five, because Episode 4 is a two-parter. Still, the amount of depth found in the world Gaia inhabits is phenomenal. The aliens are new aliens, not races regurgitated out of one of two SciFi shows with the word ‘Star’ in their names. Some follow standard guidelines (for instance, a shapeshifter), but for the most part, the alien races and creatures that have been encountered so far have been original, or at least fresh variations on a familiar theme.

The same goes for the characters in general. In Joss Whedon’s Firefly, the running joke is that the ship herself, Serenity, is the 10th character on the show. In this case, the ship is literally a character. The Zoo Ship Gaia has artificial sentience; emotions, opinions, and a personality. Another great example of one of the series’ 3-dimensional characters is Captain Elizabeth Monroe. When we first encounter her in Episode 1, she’s on a vacation in the Amazon and complaining about insects, impromptu anti-mosquito song included. Then, she flies a space shuttle upside-down. But beneath the surface layer of apparent craziness this character, like the show itself, has hidden depths…and a dark side.

I also like the fact that there’s exposition. (Wow, never thought I’d say that.) Usually, I tend to think that having a narrator is the way to go, as long as it’s a good narrator just providing the details and descriptions that the characters logically couldn’t. (Prime example: The Leviathan Chronicles) In ‘Gaia’, however, there’s enough character exposition to provide a foundation for the series, without getting annoying. It may seem to be laid on a little thick in the first few episodes, but that changes once the show takes off.

Now, we turn to the cast. Wow. Just, wow. I have to admit, before I start listening to a new show, I always check the cast list. Not only is Gaia’s cast list huge, but it features a lot of familiar names: Elaine Barrett (also the show’s creator), David Ault, Mark Kalita, Bruce Busby, Melissa Johnson… and those are just a few of the names that I recognise from Darker Projects and can pull off the top of my head. Like I said, the cast list is immense, and it contains some great talent.

The music… in that area, ‘Gaia’ excells. I’m an amateur musician, I love music, and I always pay attention to the score in movies and podcasts. What makes ‘Gaia’s Voyages’ stand out from the crowd in this aspect is that the music in ‘Gaia’ was composed specifically for ‘Gaia’. Its brilliant, and it can be found right here, if I did the link right.

Finally, my only semi-complaint with this show is that in the beginning, a few of the aliens’ voices weren’t exactly easy on the ears…but I got used to it. Other than that… I’ve got nothing.

Episode 5 should be coming soon, so keep your eyes open for the latest installment. In the meantime, set aside an hour or so to listen to the first 4 Episodes. I’d recommend downloading them from iTunes/Zune Marketplace, depending on your music player, but click the following link to get teleported to the official website: Engage Internet Teleport.

I’m very glad I was introduced to this series (and that I was introduced to it at the beginning, so that I could get up to speed quickly). I’m looking forward to following it through this season, and into the next.

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Next Up: A review of Pendant Audio’s ‘Once Upon a Time in Vegas’, if I can manage to listen to enough of it for a proper review without my brain exploding.

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Also: Please don’t be shy; feel free to leave comments in the comments area below!

CAUTION: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS OF EPIC PROPORTIONS. READ ON AT YOUR OWN RISK.

Today, I experienced the unique but not altogether unfamiliar sensation of having my mind completely blown in about five different directions.

I’m struggling to find words right now. This isn’t something that usually happens to me. Well, actually, it’s been happening to me a lot in the last week, due to a combination of so many brilliant new shows to listen to, and the fact that I finally saw Torchwood: Children of Earth. But, that’s a story for another time…

Chapter 21 of The Leviathan Chronicles was absolutely brilliant. I mean, there’s no other way to put it. This series…is beyond words. Every episode includes another twist, another revelation that comes just when everything was starting to seem so clear and spins everything about. From start to finish, this episode is no exception.

But wasn’t it Mrs. MacBeth who said “Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under it” ? This definitely applies to Leviathan and its residents. Everything that happens in this episode spins the plot and the listener’s perception of it in five different directions at once. Evangeline’s first proper appearance, Harlequinn’s true place in Leviathan, the revelation of yet another faction in the war, and the fact that Sienshun and co. might not be the heroes they claimed to be… and that’s only a fraction of what happens in Episode 21.

Everyone has an agenda. Everyone. And these agendas might not actually be what they seem. One of Evangeline’s trusted advisors is apparently plotting against her, and Evangeline…seems to be a pretty nice person (Keyword: Seems), and Macallan actually trusts her. Oh, yeah. This is definently going to end well. As for Sienshun, the leader of the Rebellion, I’m starting to wonder (and not for the first time) if he might not be just as bad as Evangeline, if not worse. Or maybe, we’ve got it all wrong, and Evangeline is the good one, and Sienshun is the evil, manipulative murderer. For the first time, we’re getting Evangeline’s side of the story, or part of it, at least, and I for one am not entirely sure who I’d side with. Before, everything seemed to be black and white. Now, Christof Laputka has introduced a few shades of grey.

Even the ‘rogue Starstone’ wasn’t what it seemed to be. It appears that it wasn’t malfunctioning at all, but simply doing what it was designed to do: Kill Immortals. But who designed it that way? Evangeline? Sienshun? The aliens themselves? Blackdoor? Someone else altogether? I don’t know about you, but it’s going to be bugging me until it gets resolved. That’s true for the series as a whole, though.

Another shocker in this episode came from a more…romantic angle. I’m not talking about Macallan and Tulley, since honestly, I saw that coming since around Episode 6. That was the only part of this episode that wasn’t a complete shocker. I’m talking about Evangeline and Harlequinn. The fact that they’re a couple brings up an interesting question: why, then, has Harlequinn been out of Leviathan for all these centuries? Was he secretly on a mission from Evangeline the whole time? The plot thickens further — Like pudding, but even better, because while you can only eat a cup of pudding once, it takes very little effort to click the play button and re-listen to this episode.

Posted in Uncategorized on September 9, 2009 by Random Frequent-Flyer Dent

After some shameless self-plugging, I ended up with a boatload of requests and recommendations from people who wanted me to check out their stuff.

About 10 new shows have been recommended to me, and I intend to listen to and review each of them… eventually. For the time being, here’s my tentative list of upcoming show reviews. If you asked me for a review or recommended your show to me and it isn’t on the list below, it’s only because I’m tackling them in the order that they were sent to me. I’ll get to them all, I promise.

Currently, I am working on reviews for Gaia’s Voyages (BSAP) and then, I’m moving to Once Upon A Time in Vegas (Pendant).

After that, in this order, are:

19 Nocturne Boulevard, selected episodes.

Twin Stars (KFAT)

The X-Files (BSAP)

Age of the Zombies (Necropolis Studios)

I’m going to post links to the shows listed above, as soon as I dig ’em out from the twisted mess that is my bookmark list.

Thank you to everyone who made suggestions, sent me links, and did some shameless self-plugging of their own. Please return the favor and spread the word about Leviathan Dances itself. Because, as you know, shameless self-plugging only goes so far…

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“From here to the eyes and ears of the ‘verse, that’s my motto. Or, it will be, if I ever start having a motto.” –Mr. Universe (Serenity)

Posted in Darker Projects on September 7, 2009 by Random Frequent-Flyer Dent

There have been many odd villians and twice as many strange, strange creatures in the long, glorious history of Doctor Who: Macra, Ice Warriors, ooh, the Quarks, I think the Quarks win the award of ultimate weirdness…Axons, Judoon, Sontarans, the giant evil rocks from Stones of Blood, the Mighty Kroll…Moxx of Balhoon and his gift of bodily salivas… oh, and who can forget the Yetis? I could go on for hours and would only have made a dent in the big pile of weird that surrounds Doctor Who. The best part is, no end seems to be in sight. Even though the show has thankfully left the days of rubber suits and tinfoil far in the past and has graduated to CGI horrors, there’s always something new, something bizarre, something rediculously disturbing lurking over the horizon.

What’s true for canon Doctor Who is also true for Darker Project’s version of the story. They’ve given us zombies and ghosts, vampires and Daleks, maid-of-honor bots, psychics, and so much more…and now, horses. Yes, horses. The newest Doctor Who villians…are horses. Pretty, shiny horses.

You’d think this would be something to laugh at, but strangely, this is the most disturbing thing I have ever heard in my life. I sat through the entirety of the new Doctor Who episode with a look on my face that was somewhere in between complete shock and utter creeped-outedness. (If that wasn’t a word before today, it is now.) Something about shiny, pretty, mesmerizing horses scared me more than I thought they would. When I was a little kid, I loved horses. I think that might have made it worse…

Now that I’ve gone on for several paragraphs about the villians, I’m going to actually pay some attention to the episode itself. The Dreamers, Part 1 (written by…David Ault!) seems to be in a different key compared to the rest of the series; there’s more talking and less running from things, which actually seems to work out well. Actually, it’s more arguing; Emma and the Doctor still aren’t getting on very well, and the fact that Jason Tate’s personality keeps resurfacing doesn’t make things any easier.

The story opens as the TARDIS materializes in…London. A London that is empty of people, with the London Eye running past closing time, a phantom train in the Underground, and horses running through the streets and carrying people away. Oh, and it’s 2011. And the TARDIS’s controls are frozen. And the Doctor is not good at talking to women.

I didn’t realize how much I missed this series until I listened to the Summer Cutaway, but listening to this, the first new episode of Darker Projects’ Doctor Who since 2007, I realized that I’d completely misjudged the situation. This was the first show I listened to at Darker Projects. This was how I was introduced to the television version of Doctor Who, which I hadn’t even heard of before I found Darker Projects. This series (well, the first season, with Mark Kalita, if you wanna get specific) sent me hurtling into the amazing world of science fiction, which until then I’d only explored through Star Wars and the works of Douglas Adams. (Speaking of which, I loved the Hitchhiker’s Guide references in both this episode and the most recent Byron Chronicles episode!)

So, excuse me if I wax poetic about either Darker Projects or this series. I think you can understand why…

In conclusion: Doctor Who is back, it’s brilliant, and there’s evil horses. Give it a listen.

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Download from the DP site by clicking HERE or get on over to iTunes and subscribe!

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Note: Am I the only one who IMMEDIATLY thought of Bad Horse from Doctor Horrible’s Singalong Blog? Please tell me that I wasn’t…